Nebraska HS Class A Football Down to Four Teams
OK, I went 3 for 4 with my Class A quarterfinal picks, coming up incorrect on the Lincoln Southwest vs. Papillion-La Vista game.
Yet, in my defense, I did say that if there were an upset (quarterfinals) that it would be in this game.
Monarchs Say, “Never Say Never!”
The Monarchs, outside of Omaha Burke, are the most explosive team in Class A. So dangerously proficient are they on offense that despite sophomore QB Alec Ditoro throwing – 5 – INTs in the game, Papio was still able to hang 40 points on the scoreboard – enough to best Southwest’s 34 and live to fight another day.
Papio WR Ryan Leif had a very nice night scoring 3 TDs, while grabbing 9 balls for 109 yards. Ditoro finished 25-41 for 243 yards with 4 TD strikes.
Tavarius Bender ends his high school career rushing 17 times for 124 yards (includes a 78 yard TD run) and passing 6-15 for 119 yards ( 2 INTs), and kicking 2 field goals.
Good Effort Not Enough for Patriots
As expected a young Millard South ball club was unable to keep up with the more experienced and deeper talented Lincoln Southeast Knights.
Knights junior RB Devin Washington continues to impress, toting the ball 28 times for 200 yards and 2 scores. Besides Washington’s proven ability to pound the rock, another element of the game that bodes well for Southeast’s chances of capturing the title is they field the best defense in Class A. In the days ahead that top ranked D will need to muster all of its skills with scoring machines like Papio facing them next week and – if they prevail – contending with a Burke or Central in the finals.
Burke Growls
Burke Blows out Papillion-La Vista South. 55-7. There was nothing sexy here except for a very good team doing what it was supposed to do. Zach Cook throws 4 TDs and the Bulldog defense only gives up 7 points. Promising?
In my opinion this is Paul Limongi’s best team in the six seasons he has been head coach at Burke. Limongi’s Bulldogs now sit only one victory away from playing in Memorial Stadium for the first time in school history.
Game of the Week: Central Eagles Come Out on Top
Eagles Talent Proves Too Much for Grand Island:
Big games from junior RB Jackie Davis (33 carries for 180 yards, 2 TDs) and Darian Barrientos-Jackson who caught 2 TD passes and scored on a 15 yard run, helped propel the Central Eagles to a 34-24 win over Grand Island. Davis and Jackson also star on defense for the Eagles, with Jackson having recorded 4 picks on the season as a DB.
The multi-talented, 6-foot-2, 180 lbs. Barrientos-Jackson plays guard for the reigning state basketball champion Eagles, and he is MHN’s No. 5 ranked Nebraska high school basketball prospect for the 2011/2012 season.
Islander senior QB Ryker Fyfe finishes his high school football career going 16-29 (1 INT) for 212 yards
Head coach Jay Ball’s Eagles are no joke. This team is for real! – a well-balanced team that can play D, fields lots of athletic talent and is led by a talented experienced senior QB in Will Burgess – not to mention Coach Ball’s experience from leading the Eagles to a 2007 Class A title.
The MHN Game of the Week for Nov 11 is Omaha Burke vs. Omaha Central.
I will have more on this BIG GAME – including a prediction – later.
